We Are Here
by Aruna Hart
Summary: While watching a movie, Sam has a flashback to when the Entity took her body.


Samantha Carter was spending her Saturday night with Jack O'Neill. Of course, she was also spending it with Daniel, Teal'c, and Cassie. She had to hand it to the teen, the girl was brilliant.

Ever since Janet had died last year, SG-1 had taken an even greater interest in Cassie's well being. So when Cassie had asked Sam to some and spend the night with her, Carter had dropped all her plans. Hell, who needed the new equations on the decay rate of naquada anyway?

What Cassie had failed to mention was that she had also invited the guys (albeit leading each to believe that he was the only one asked). When they had arrived, the trap was sprung and Cassie launched her evil plan.

With a sly smile on her face, she led them to the family room. Pizza, soda, chips, candy, and who knows what else rested on the floor in front of the giant big screen TV.

Sam swore she saw Teal'c grin as he asked, "Are we to watch Star Wars?"

Cassie smiled wickedly. "Just wait and see."

Jack looked at Sam. She chuckled inwardly as he rolled his eyes. They both knew the young woman had something up her sleeve.

Once they all were settled comfortably, Cassie picked up the remote and started the movie. Everyone groaned as the beginning title rolled across the screen.

"Cassie!" Jack yelled in protest. "Come on, for cryin' out loud. Do we have to watch this?!"

"Guys," she replied innocently. "I haven't seen it yet. I'm still learning about earth's culture and I keep hearing them talk about this movie in my education classes at college. I have to watch it, and I want to watch it with my family." She gave the team her best puppy dog face.

'I think see's perfectly learned the culture of kids getting what they want' Sam heard Jack mutter under his breath.

Cassie continued. "Besides, you're all the ones who insisted I go to college. So I think it's only fair that you be forced to watch it with me."

"We're here. Fine let's do this." Jack shook his head defeated. "But after it's over WE," he motioned to the rest of the team, "get to pick the next movie."

The girl grinned and hit play.

"You know, we might actually learn some important cultu…" Daniel began.

"Daniel," Jack said in that tone, that made the archaeologist stop mid sentence.

Sam chuckled, turning back to the screen to watch 'Horton Hears a Who.' The movie wasn't as bad as they had anticipated. They laughed more than they had in a long time. Jack cringed when the dentist whipped out his needles, and commented when the scene was over that needles were always bad.

The movie was almost over, and the Whos were about to be boiled alive because no one could hear them.

Sam felt a chill as the movie character were told to scream louder. "We are here. We are here. We are here!"

Her breathing tensed. Her mind flashed back to a computer, the Entity.

"We are here. We are here. We are here!" the voices on the TV screamed.

She remembered the electric jolt as it pulled her into the wiring and took over her body.

"We are here. We are here. We are here!"

She cried out, but no one could hear her. She wasn't there, but she was everywhere. She could hear them and see them.

"We are here. We are here. We are here!"

Sweat poured down face, her hands shaking. She could see her body lying on a hospital bed, Janet telling Jack there was no chance. They were going to let her die!

By now, the TV voices were gone. She was screaming, "I am here. I am here. I am here."

Jack was going to blow her up, thinking she was the Entity. She screamed louder than she had her whole life.

"I AM HERE! I AM HERE! I AM HERE!"

"Carter!" a voice called. "Sam! I've got you. You're safe." She felt herself being pulled into comforting hug. The voice continued to whisper soft mummers of soothing words, while she was slow rocked back and forth, like a calming grasp.

She began to see the room again, the dim light from the now blank television screen, the empty pizza boxes. Sam was vaguely aware of Jack holding her.

Her breathing slowly returned to normal, but the tears still lingered on her face. "It's okay." Jack kept telling her. "I've got you. The Entity is gone. It's never coming back."

He knew, she realized. He knew. Jack always knew. It was one of the reasons she loved him, but she also knew they would never admit it to each other.

Several minutes later, she finally felt halfway normal again. "I'm alright," Sam sighed, easing herself from the colonel's embrace and onto the sofa beside him.

"You sure?" he asked concerned. Sam nodded her head.

She hadn't noticed that the other had left the room until Cassie reentered begging for forgiveness.

"Sam I had no idea that scene was in there! Please believe me! If I had known I would have never…" The poor girl was in near hysterics. Sam was the closest thing she had to a mother and confidante.

Carter pulled Cassie into a hug. "I know," she soothed. "It was just a bad memory, that's all. Don't blame yourself."

Daniel and Teal'c sat down awkwardly, not knowing what to say or do after their comrade's outburst. Sam was embarrassed, realizing her flashback had been so vividly displayed publicly.

The tension was thick. Then Jack spoke.

"Well campers, I do believe that what happens at Cassie's stays at Cassie's?" the others all agreed and Jack continued. "Besides," he added, "I know that everyone in this room has had similar experiences. But the important thing is that we are here for each other, always and forever. We ARE family and we ARE here."

Sam felt a deep comfort settle in her mind. They were there, for better or worse. They would always protect each other. There might be bad days, almost impossible days, but she would get through it. They all would because of three simple words.

We are here.


End file.
